Fengyang TCM Case Study — Treatment of Lumbar Lordosis Reversal (Reverse Cervical & Lumbar Curvature)
Visit Date: July 29, 2026
Patient: Ms. X
Tongue Observation: Purplish-dark tongue body, white coating, prominent sublingual varices (++)
Pattern Differentiation: Qi deficiency with blood stasis; meridian obstruction; liver-kidney insufficiency; heart-mind disturbance
Chief Complaints: Cervical spondylosis, reversal of lumbar physiological curvature, chronic insomnia
I. Treatment Protocol
(A) External Therapies
Fengyang Daoist Tuina (Chinese manipulative therapy): Once weekly, 60 minutes per session. Relaxes sinews, unblocks the Governing Vessel (Du Mai), and corrects spinal biomechanical imbalance.
Medicinal Foot Bath: 30g Mugwort (Ai Ye) and 6g Safflower (Hong Hua). Decoct and soak feet for 30 minutes before bedtime nightly. Warms the meridians, activates blood, guides fire back to its source, and calms the mind to aid sleep.
Qigong Training: Standing stake (Zhan Zhuang) for 5 minutes each morning and evening. Tonifies Qi, consolidates the kidneys, strengthens the core muscles of the lower back, and improves sleep quality.
(B) Internal Herbal Medicine (10 doses, 1 dose daily, decocted in water and taken warm)
Astragalus Root (Huang Qi) 30g, Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen) 10g, White Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu) 10g, Poria Mushroom (Fu Ling) 10g, Licorice Root (Gan Cao) 6g, Dried Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi) 6g, Hyacinth Bean Flower (Bian Dou Hua) 6g
Spine Date Seed (Suan Zao Ren) 10g, Night-Blooming Cereus Stem (Ye Jiao Teng) 10g, Poria with Hostwood (Fu Shen) 10g
Salvia Root (Dan Shen) 10g, Spatholobus Vine (Ji Xue Teng) 20g
Flemingia Root (Qian Jin Ba) 10g, Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi) 10g, Mulberry Mistletoe (Sang Ji Sheng) 10g, Psoralea Fruit (Bu Gu Zhi) 10g
Therapeutic Principles: Fortify the spleen and boost Qi to consolidate the root; activate blood, unblock collaterals, and dissolve stasis; nourish the heart and calm the mind; warmly tonify the liver and kidneys to strengthen the spine and secure the lower back.
II. Physician's Orders (Lifestyle & Dietary Contraindications)
Avoid all raw, cold, and frozen foods/drinks. Cold pathogens easily stagnate the blood vessels, exacerbating neck and lower back pain and insomnia.
Reduce sweet intake and suspend dairy products to prevent phlegm-dampness from obstructing the meridians.
Absolutely avoid prolonged head-bowing, sitting, and lifting heavy loads while bending, to prevent further deterioration of the reversed lumbar curvature.
III. Remarks
Reversed lumbar curvature constitutes a structural degenerative change of the spine. The objectives of herbal medicine, tuina, and qigong are to improve clinical symptoms and slow the progression of degeneration. They cannot completely reverse the structural alteration; regular follow-up visits are required to adjust the protocol.
If limb numbness or progressively worsening pain occurs, it is recommended to undergo Western medical imaging examinations for further evaluation.